Part of a package of four bills to re-introduce the biannual indexation of fuel excise and excise-equivalent fuel duties, the bill establishes the Fuel Indexation (Road Funding) Special Account to make grants of financial assistance to the states and territories for expenditure in relation to road infrastructure investment.

to: remove the seventh step (the “catch all”) from the steps an advice provider may take in order to satisfy best interest obligations; enable clients and providers to agree on the scope of advice to be provided; remove the renewal notice obligations for fee recipients; remove the requirement to provide yearly fee disclosure statements to certain clients; extend the time period within which fee disclosure statements must be provided to a client; provide for a general advice exemption to exempt benefits that relate to general advice from the ban on conflicted remuneration in certain circumstances; provide additional disclosure and information in the statement of advice in relation to existing rights of the client and obligation of the advice provider; ensure that any instructions for further or varied advice from clients are documented in writing, signed by the client, and acknowledged by the providing entity; require the statement of advice to be signed by both the advice provider and the client; and make consequential amendments.

The bill: requires Government boards to comprise of at least 40 per cent men and 40 per cent women; and provides for annual reporting requirements in relation to the gender composition of Government boards.

The bill: establishes the Office of Animal Welfare as an independent statutory authority with responsibility for advising on the protection of animal welfare in Commonwealth regulated activities; provides for the functions, appointment, and terms and conditions of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO); provides for staff and consultants; establishes the Office of Animal Welfare Advisory Committee to advise the CEO; and provides for reporting requirements.

to require agencies and ministers to publish the exact wording of freedom of information requests and a statement of reasons concerning the decision to allow or refuse the release of requested documents.

to require Food Standards Australia New Zealand to develop and approve within 12 months, a labelling standard to prescribe how the food services sector must identify the country of origin of fish offered for immediate consumption in Australia.

to: require the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) to prepare an intergenerational report for the Treasurer every five years; and enable the PBO to request a Commonwealth body to provide information that is relevant to the preparation of that report; and